Keystone Board Okays Elementary Curriculum

FARWELL – The Keystone Central school board has given its approval to the district’s new English Language Arts Curriculum for grades kindergarten through five.

The vote at last week’s board meeting followed a recommendation for approval from the district administration, part of the mandated switch to the state-imposed Common Core curriculum for Pennsylvania public schools.

The vote was 8-1 with Lock Haven hill district representative Roger Elling voting no. Elling said while he believed the district was moving in the right direction, he was “concerned about district policies,” stating that “the system is being turned upside down.” Instead he proposed, without success, a pilot program for the new curriculum at two district school, as opposed to districtwide.

Elling earlier aggressively challenged parts of a presentation from a Mill Hall elementary school group relative to the district’s new elementary math and reading program. That give-and-take ended when board president Jack Peters called a halt after a 90 minute discussion, Peters thanking the Mill Hall teachers for their effort.

The elementary math and reading programs are to be voted on by the board at its November meeting.